MS Word/table/font changes
DiMa
I know I am in the wrong place to ask a computer question that is partly non
genealogy related BUT
I need some help.
My problem is that I cannot find a suitable group/chatroom/forum to help me
so thought I would ask the experts on here.
I am trying to convert a table (an index for a book) that has people names,
ships names and place names to text.
When I select the table, then convert to text either by paragraph or comma,
the names that are in normal text change to italics and the italic names
(ships) changes to normal. Because this is book three of a series of 5
volumes, I need them to be identical in the layout.
Can any one help me please or direct me to a group/forum where I can get
help.
I have searched newsgroups for MS Word help and the MS website and googled
my problem but I can't find anything to help me. I may be googling the wrong
words but I am hoping someone can help me from here.
Thanks and regards,
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
To reply please remove # in email address.
Ian Goddard
> I am trying to convert a table (an index for a book) that has people names,
> ships names and place names to text.
> When I select the table, then convert to text either by paragraph or comma,
> the names that are in normal text change to italics and the italic names
> (ships) changes to normal. Because this is book three of a series of 5
> volumes, I need them to be identical in the layout.
I'm not sure from this exactly what it is you're trying to do. If
you're wanting to have all elements of the text with the same
characteristics, say non-italic, can't you simply select the entire
block of converted text, italicised & non-italicised, and set it all to
what you want?
Alternatively, assuming that these characteristics are set on a per
column basis in the table and are trying to preserve them could you flip
them in the table and then seen if the conversion flips them again?
Finally, of course, you have the option of using something other than MS
Word which you will find at http://www.openoffice.org
--
Ian
Hotmail is for spammers. Real mail address is igoddard
at nildram co uk
Tom Perrett
>Hi all,
>
>I know I am in the wrong place to ask a computer question that is partly non
>genealogy related BUT
>I need some help.
>
>My problem is that I cannot find a suitable group/chatroom/forum to help me
>so thought I would ask the experts on here.
>
>I am trying to convert a table (an index for a book) that has people names,
>ships names and place names to text.
>When I select the table, then convert to text either by paragraph or comma,
>the names that are in normal text change to italics and the italic names
>(ships) changes to normal. Because this is book three of a series of 5
>volumes, I need them to be identical in the layout.
>
>Can any one help me please or direct me to a group/forum where I can get
>help.
>
>I have searched newsgroups for MS Word help and the MS website and googled
>my problem but I can't find anything to help me. I may be googling the wrong
>words but I am hoping someone can help me from here.
>
>Thanks and regards,
Take yourself off to soc.genealogy.computing,
that might produce a helper.
Cheers,
Tom [Tom Perrett] <to...@st.net.au>
DiMa
correct forum/newsgroup
Regards,
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
To reply please remove # in email address.
"Tom Perrett" <to...@st.net.au> wrote in message
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DiMa
The table has been typed up by two other ladies, it is two columns wide.
First column has the names of people/ships/places in times new roman normal
with the ships names in italics.
The second column has page numbers.
When I go to convert this table into text using either 'paragraphs' or
'commas' it reverses the font from normal for the names of the people/places
to italics and changes the ships names to normal.
e.g.
Name Page
people/places (normal) 5,21,19
ships names (in italics) 7,18,21,28
I want it to look like this:
People/places, 5,21,19 (This text to remain in TNR normal)
Ships 7,18,21,28 (This text to remain in italics)
but it swaps it around.
There are 10 pages of the index and it would take me forever to correct
this.
I will try Tom's suggestion.
Regards,
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
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"Ian Goddard" <godd...@hotmail.co.uk> wrote in message
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DiMa
I have already post here - you answered me Tom or are you just tricking me?
:>}
Denis Beauregard
wrote in soc.genealogy.computing:
>Hi all,
>
>I know I am in the wrong place to ask a computer question that is partly non
>genealogy related BUT
>I need some help.
>
>My problem is that I cannot find a suitable group/chatroom/forum to help me
>so thought I would ask the experts on here.
newsgroup is
microsoft.public.word.general
Actually, a lot of newsgroups begin with microsoft.public.word
Denis
--
Denis Beauregard - g�n�alogiste �m�rite (FQSG)
Les Fran�ais d'Am�rique du Nord - www.francogene.com/genealogie--quebec/
French in North America before 1722 - www.francogene.com/quebec--genealogy/
Sur c�d�rom � 1770 - On CD-ROM to 1770
bi...@harrisongenealogy.co.uk
Try blocking the WHOLE of the table in word ... then "copy"
Open Excel and "paste" into worksheet...
Then use the command "concatinate" to merge cells together ... remember to
allow a space between fields else words will not be separate.
regards
Bill
"DiMa" <sascar#@alphalink.com.au> wrote in message
news:<4a1e...@news.comindico.com.au>...
> Hi all,
>
> I know I am in the wrong place to ask a computer question that is partly
> non
> genealogy related BUT
> I need some help.
>
> My problem is that I cannot find a suitable group/chatroom/forum to help
> me
> so thought I would ask the experts on here.
>
> I am trying to convert a table (an index for a book) that has people
> names,
> ships names and place names to text.
> When I select the table, then convert to text either by paragraph or
> comma,
> the names that are in normal text change to italics and the italic names
> (ships) changes to normal. Because this is book three of a series of 5
> volumes, I need them to be identical in the layout.
>
> Can any one help me please or direct me to a group/forum where I can get
> help.
>
> I have searched newsgroups for MS Word help and the MS website and googled
> my problem but I can't find anything to help me. I may be googling the
> wrong
> words but I am hoping someone can help me from here.
>
> Thanks and regards,
>
> --
> Di
> I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
> Vic Australia
> To reply please remove # in email address.
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to
> GENCMP-...@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes
> in the subject and the body of the message
Steve Hayes
>Hi all,
>
>I know I am in the wrong place to ask a computer question that is partly non
>genealogy related BUT
>I need some help.
>
>My problem is that I cannot find a suitable group/chatroom/forum to help me
>so thought I would ask the experts on here.
microsoft.public.word.newusers
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
Ian Goddard
> Ian,
>
> The table has been typed up by two other ladies, it is two columns wide.
> First column has the names of people/ships/places in times new roman normal
> with the ships names in italics.
> The second column has page numbers.
> When I go to convert this table into text using either 'paragraphs' or
> 'commas' it reverses the font from normal for the names of the people/places
> to italics and changes the ships names to normal.
>
> e.g.
> Name Page
> people/places (normal) 5,21,19
> ships names (in italics) 7,18,21,28
>
> I want it to look like this:
>
> People/places, 5,21,19 (This text to remain in TNR normal)
> Ships 7,18,21,28 (This text to remain in italics)
> but it swaps it around.
>
> There are 10 pages of the index and it would take me forever to correct
> this.
OK, so the convert to text flips the italicisation. So select the
column you want to be in italics and set it to normal. The whole column
can be set at one go no matter how many pages. Now select the column
you want to be plain and set it to italics. If you now convert to text
and it still flips the italicisation you've got what you want.
Denis Beauregard
<godd...@hotmail.co.uk> wrote in soc.genealogy.computing:
>OK, so the convert to text flips the italicisation. So select the
>column you want to be in italics and set it to normal. The whole column
>can be set at one go no matter how many pages. Now select the column
>you want to be plain and set it to italics. If you now convert to text
>and it still flips the italicisation you've got what you want.
Before I move my databases to Excel, I edited them with Word.
Why Word ? Because it was easy to move a line and to split a
table to write a text when needed.
I had very long tables. For example, I had about 10,000 early
migrants to Quebec in one table, i.e. 10,000 lines, many columns.
Sometimes, Word gets crazy when handling very long tables. If
there are hundreds of pages, you may reach the limit of your
Word (it may depends on the memory size, version, etc.).
Ian Goddard
> On Thu, 28 May 2009 20:38:36 +0100, Ian Goddard
> <godd...@hotmail.co.uk> wrote in soc.genealogy.computing:
>
>> OK, so the convert to text flips the italicisation. So select the
>> column you want to be in italics and set it to normal. The whole column
>> can be set at one go no matter how many pages. Now select the column
>> you want to be plain and set it to italics. If you now convert to text
>> and it still flips the italicisation you've got what you want.
>
> Before I move my databases to Excel, I edited them with Word.
> Why Word ? Because it was easy to move a line and to split a
> table to write a text when needed.
>
> I had very long tables. For example, I had about 10,000 early
> migrants to Quebec in one table, i.e. 10,000 lines, many columns.
Horses for courses. A proper database product would be the better bet
for handling large amounts of data.
> Sometimes, Word gets crazy when handling very long tables. If
> there are hundreds of pages, you may reach the limit of your
> Word (it may depends on the memory size, version, etc.).
Again, if you're handling large amounts of data as data a proper
database application should handle things better. In DiMa's case,
however, it seems that the requirement is indeed to handle it as text
for publication and the amount of data isn't great by database
standards. However, as far as I can recall - and it's a long time since
I used it, Word can get in a twist fairly readily and it's not easy to
get it to behave once it does.
If what I suggested doesn't work I'd try using OO (actually I'd have
been using OO all along). Alternatively I'd copy and paste into a
spreadsheet. However I wouldn't be convinced that the formatting
problems wouldn't tag along. So I'd use the S/S as an intermediate step
by exporting as CSV, quit the S/S app (and Word), restart it, import the
CSV into a fresh S/S, copy & paste it back into a table in a *new* word
document and convert that. By passing the data through plain old ASCII
whatever quirks are in the existing Word doc can be left behind.
Essentially such a procedure would enable DiMa to make a fresh start
without actually having to retype.
Denis Beauregard
<godd...@hotmail.co.uk> wrote in soc.genealogy.computing:
>Denis Beauregard wrote:
>> On Thu, 28 May 2009 20:38:36 +0100, Ian Goddard
>> <godd...@hotmail.co.uk> wrote in soc.genealogy.computing:
>>
>>> OK, so the convert to text flips the italicisation. So select the
>>> column you want to be in italics and set it to normal. The whole column
>>> can be set at one go no matter how many pages. Now select the column
>>> you want to be plain and set it to italics. If you now convert to text
>>> and it still flips the italicisation you've got what you want.
>>
>> Before I move my databases to Excel, I edited them with Word.
>> Why Word ? Because it was easy to move a line and to split a
>> table to write a text when needed.
>>
>> I had very long tables. For example, I had about 10,000 early
>> migrants to Quebec in one table, i.e. 10,000 lines, many columns.
>
>Horses for courses. A proper database product would be the better bet
>for handling large amounts of data.
A database is not useful for remote work, i.e. extract a part
of the database (ancestors I want to check), put it on my
portable computer, make the search, and put the results in my
main database. I use now Excel on the main computer, and OpenOffice
on the portable computer (it has Linux), put in one file the data
I want to check (it loads faster since it is smaller), and put the
results in a separate file (one for each day of work outside).
I have nearly 200,000 couples and my data is in 5 files (3 have
nearly all Quebec marriages and many external data like Louisiana
and Acadia, this to 1825, one more with post-1825 and a last for
libraries and instant files, i.e. to build a new family tree for
someone). Excel allows me to have blank lines to separate data
(i.e. data where I have a link to parents and other data so I can
focus on those I want to link), which I can't do as easily with a
database.
>> Sometimes, Word gets crazy when handling very long tables. If
>> there are hundreds of pages, you may reach the limit of your
>> Word (it may depends on the memory size, version, etc.).
>
>Again, if you're handling large amounts of data as data a proper
>database application should handle things better. In DiMa's case,
What was funny is a previous version of Word could support a larger
table. From memory, I could sort a table with 10,000 lines using
Word 5, but only 1,000 with Word 97. I have completely moved this
kind of data to Excel files now so I am not sure about what I could
do at that time.
>however, it seems that the requirement is indeed to handle it as text
>for publication and the amount of data isn't great by database
>standards. However, as far as I can recall - and it's a long time since
>I used it, Word can get in a twist fairly readily and it's not easy to
>get it to behave once it does.
The solution would be to set up some publishing macros. I didn't do
it for a while, but I remember in Word, I can define for example a
line where I put in blue the cell no. 1 of an Excel file, then have
some blahblah, then cell no. 3 in red, then more words, etc. i.e.
an Excel file with
his-family-name; his-first-name; her-family-name; her-first-name
giving
HIS-FAMILY-NAME, His-first-name
HER-FAMILY-NAME, Her-first-name
So, you can use those macros and figure how to do that, then
it is somewhat easy to prepare some Excel file for publishing
in a Word-like document.
I have the French version of Word so I don't know the proper
commands. It is something like Tools - publipostage (mailing ?)
and used normally to change an Excel file into a series of
labels for printing, or to write customized letters.
No idea if OO can do that. And I didn't use that function
for years.
DiMa
Unfortunately I had to physically change the text from italics to regular
text after trying all sorts of suggestions.
Once I had converted the table to text, everything except the ship names
were in italics so I changed that to regular text then physically changed
the ship names into italics - there were about 20 of them - it didn't take
long. I also went into the font properties and it showed italics instead of
regular.
I don't believe it can be done if two types of formatting is used in the
table, maybe it should be either one or the other.
Anyway, it has been done and I shall remember for the remaining two books.
Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciated it.
Cheers,
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
To reply please remove # in email address.
"DiMa" <sascar#@alphalink.com.au> wrote in message
news:4a1e...@news.comindico.com.au...
bi...@harrisongenealogy.co.uk
If you put it into Excel as I suggested you can export it as a CSV file thus
getting rid of ALL formating .......
then using CSV editor which can be found at
http://csved.sjfrancke.nl/index.html (free download)
you can save it as a multitude of formats including Text, RTF, Word, Excel,
or HTML
regards
Bill
"DiMa" <sascar#@alphalink.com.au> wrote in message
news:<4a1f...@news.comindico.com.au>...
DiMa
I have tried your suggestion and I can't get the export feature to go black.
I will have another go tomorrow or get a friend to show me - I learn quicker
when someone is showing me.
Have also downloaded the CSV editor - thanks for the link.
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
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<bi...@harrisongenealogy.co.uk> wrote in message
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singhals
> Hi all you wonderful experts.
>
> Unfortunately I had to physically change the text from italics to regular
> text after trying all sorts of suggestions.
>
> Once I had converted the table to text, everything except the ship names
> were in italics so I changed that to regular text then physically changed
> the ship names into italics - there were about 20 of them - it didn't take
> long. I also went into the font properties and it showed italics instead of
> regular.
>
> I don't believe it can be done if two types of formatting is used in the
> table, maybe it should be either one or the other.
> Anyway, it has been done and I shall remember for the remaining two books.
>
> Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciated it.
>
> Cheers,
>
Since I was "off sick" when this discussion began, I may not
have caught all the nuances, so,
Was this "table" in HTML or in a word.doc?
After you tried the changing the font on the column,
A. Did you save it as DOS-text or MS-text?
B. Did you open the .txt file in word-pad or in word?
Cheryl-the-curious
DiMa
Thanks for your post.
> Was this "table" in HTML or in a word.doc?
The table was created in Word 95 by someone else doing the book)
>
> After you tried the changing the font on the column,
> A. Did you save it as DOS-text or MS-text?
It was a Word document. Just a two column table.
The font was Times New Roman regular for the people and place names and TNR
italics for the ship names
but when I converted the table to text it reversed the regular and italics
of the font. i.e. people and place names were in italics and the ship names
were in regular - weird I think.
> B. Did you open the .txt file in word-pad or in word?
I opened the file (on my computer) in Word.
I am going to give word-pad a try as I never thought about that - it has
less formatting doesn't it?
Will let you know what happens with word-pad.
As I am a stubborn person, I intend to find out if this can be done without
all these hassles. I did read somewhere that Word does have quirky bits in
it that may do this type of trick.
Cheers,
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
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"singhals" <sing...@erols.com> wrote in message
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DiMa
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
To reply please remove # in email address.
"singhals" <sing...@erols.com> wrote in message
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Denis Beauregard
wrote in soc.genealogy.computing:
>The font was Times New Roman regular for the people and place names and TNR
>italics for the ship names
>but when I converted the table to text it reversed the regular and italics
>of the font. i.e. people and place names were in italics and the ship names
>were in regular - weird I think.
A possible explanation.
You copied the text to an area already in italics. In that case,
word may invert the state, i.e. what is already in italics is no
more, and what is not is now in italics.
Cure : be sure you copy to an area not already in italics.
DiMa
that is where I copied it to.
It was also created as a new document - not yet merged with the book.
I think I am destined to ponder this for a while.
Thanks for your suggestions.
Cheers,
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
To reply please remove # in email address.
"Denis Beauregard" <denis.b-at-f...@fr.invalid> wrote in message
news:kl512594okqmmg10s...@4ax.com...
singhals
> Nope, Wordpad doesn't have a facility to convert tables.
>
No, it doesn't. Doesn't need to.
singhals
> Hi Cheryl,
>
> Thanks for your post.
>
>
>
>>Was this "table" in HTML or in a word.doc?
>
> The table was created in Word 95 by someone else doing the book)
>
OK, scratch that option, then.
>>After you tried the changing the font on the column,
>>A. Did you save it as DOS-text or MS-text?
>
> It was a Word document. Just a two column table.
> The font was Times New Roman regular for the people and place names and TNR
> italics for the ship names
> but when I converted the table to text it reversed the regular and italics
> of the font. i.e. people and place names were in italics and the ship names
> were in regular - weird I think.
Uhhh -- I must still not understand. AFTER you stripped the
formatting, didn't you save it as plain-text?
>
>
>>B. Did you open the .txt file in word-pad or in word?
>
> I opened the file (on my computer) in Word.
I can't explain WHY, but try this then.
Open the file in Word. Remove all formatting, including the
table.
SAVE AS: plain text, as file.txt Close file; close WORD.
Open file.txt in Notepad or Wordpad, and SAVE, even if you
made not a single change to it.
Now you ought to be able to open file.txt in WORD and see
your format changes.
> I am going to give word-pad a try as I never thought about that - it has
> less formatting doesn't it?
>
> Will let you know what happens with word-pad.
>
> As I am a stubborn person, I intend to find out if this can be done without
> all these hassles. I did read somewhere that Word does have quirky bits in
> it that may do this type of trick.
WORD has some built-in, little noticed "features" that
restore user-made FUBARs. Unfortunately, it can't seem to
tell a FUBAR from non-FUBAR, so it frequently restores stuff
one doesn't want restored.
Cheryl
Kerry raymond
What version of Word are you using? And just how many rows are in your
table? It's just that I cannot reproduce your problem using Word 2003. The
table converted to text is retaining its italic formatting perfectly, it is
not switching around as you are experiencing.
One possibility is that it is a bug in the particular version of Word that
you are using. If so, someone else could do the job for you using a
different version.
Kerry
DiMa
> Open the file in Word. Remove all formatting, including the table.
How do I do this?
--
Di
I'm creative! You can't expect me to be neat too.
Vic Australia
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